Means for removably supporting rolls of material in dispensers



J. C. LAYTON MEANS FOR REMOVABLY SUPPORTING ROLLS OF MATERIAL IN DISPENSERS Filed OCf.. 5, 1952 June 28, 1955 United States Patent() minste MEANS FR REMVABLY SUPPORTING ROLLS 0F MATERIAL TN DISPENSERS il. C. Layton, Montebello, Calif., assigner to Towlsaver, Enc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Appiicaiion etober 3, 1952, Serial No. 312,954

l5 Claims. (Cl. 242-552) This invention relates to and has for an object the provision in a dispenser for paper towels and the like of means for removably and operatively supporting a roll of paper in a cabinet in a manner that will permit ready rotation of the roll to an extent to issue a predetermined length of authorized and approved paper and which will discourage, if not actually prevent, the mounting of an inferior grade or unauthorized roll of paper in the machine.

In consideration vof this invention reference is made to Letters Patent of the United States, No. 2,105,928, granted on January 18, 1938, to I. C. Perrin, which generally shows a type of dispenser and roll paper mounting for the same purpose as this invention, but over 'which the present development constitutes an important improve ment.

For example, the paper mounting of said patent includes a fixed semi-circular bearing for an annular 'truns nion solely 'supported on said lixed member and having an external iiange confined between the xed member and an adjacent wall ot the cabinet whereby said annular trunnion secured in an end of the core of the paper roll would rest upon said semi-circular bearing while its flange would prevent axial movement of the roll. Inasmuch as said bearings were disposable after the paper 'of a roll was used and because they were made of metal, their loss was appreciable, especially if there was 'a shortage of metal. When said bearings were made'of 'wood or plastic material careless handling caused frequent breakage Iof the flanges and required replacement.

Hence, it has been ascertained that a modied form of bearing embodying the present improvements not only obviates the aforesaid difficulties but at fthe vsame time adapts the bearings to dispensers of diierent size and character and permits the use of the new 'type bearings with but a 'slight change in a conventional vdispenser cabinet.

The invention, to such ends, includes the semi-circular fixed support spaced slightly from 4and secured to a Awall of a cabinet and `a circular bearing formed with a cylindrical neck insertible in the usual hollow paper core `of a paper roll and formed with a web abutting the end o'f the core, an enlarged annular bearing portion adapted to telescope an inwardly projecting fixed circular bearing in the form of a pin or knob, formed on or aixed to an end wall of the cabinet. The invention also includes a guide fixed to the same wall of the cabinet above the circular bearing and so formed .that when the trunnion is affixed to the roll and the roll is inserted, the trunnion will be guided into telescopic position .on said fixed circular bearing, while the other end of the roll is supported on a yieldable bearing of suitable character.

An optional object is to tiltably support said 'circular bearing on the cabinet wall so that as the roll vborne female trunnion is urged downwardly over said guide or said tiltable support, the tiltable support will readily accommodate itself to the reception of the trunnion, and, as by 2,711,860 Patented `lime 28, 1955 ICC appropriately tensioning the same, is self restorable to operative position.

A mounting which will meet the requirements of the aforesaid and other subsidiary objects which will appear as `the description progresses, is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a typical paper towel dispenser to which vmy improvements are applicable;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the inside of an end wall of the dispenser cabinet showing portions of the dispenser mechanism and a mounting of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the dispenser on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation in the plane of Fig. 2 but embracing only that portion within the circular line 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified form of bearing.

A typicalroll towel dispenser D as shown in Fig, l includes a cabinet C and a hinged cover C arranged to rotatably support a roll T of towel paper in a `continuous strip in a manner which will permit issue ot a section Ti of predetermined length at each operation 'of a vcrank D1. Usually said crank is aixed to a horizontal shaft 44a which carries a gear 4 arranged to drive a smaller gear 3. A dispensing roller S is iixed to shaft 2 and cooperates with a 'second roller 2a (between which rollers a section of 'towel as at T1 is held) to issue a desired section of paper when said crank is appropriately turned;

-One y-form -fo'f mounting of my invention is best shown in Figs. 1 4y 'and' includes a semi-circular bearing member 11 which encompasses a cylindrical bearing member 12. .A guide 1'3 is disposed at the upper 'end of the semi-circular bearing member 11 and a trunnion is is mounted in the end of the roll T.

In the alternative form shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, vthe cylindrical bearing member is constitutedl by, a cylindrical bearing 1211 pivotally supported on the wall 9. The pivotal support of the cylindrical bearing 12a on the wall 9 permits it to be'detlected lby downward movement of 'the 'trunnion 14 into 4the dot-dash line position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. V

VMember 11 is formed with a semi-circular bearing surface 1S underlying -trunnion '14 and has spaced legs 15, 1 6 providing a space between the legs for inserting the member 14 in position for use. The portions 15 and i6 are in a common plane slightly spaced Yinwardly from wall 9.

Member 1fiis, of stepped cross section and provides a tubular neck 17 insertible in the bore 18 of the core T2 of roll T1. Member 14 also has a larger annular bearing portion '19 which is adapted to telescopically seat on 'the periphery of the male bearing member 12 or 12a, while the web or shoulder 20 thereof abuts the end of core T2. The opposite end of core T2 may be provided with a similar 'trunnion 1:4 adapted to telescopically sea't on a circular bearing 21 extended from a tensioned arm 22 which iis-xe'd at a point 23 to a wall '24 of cabinet C. Said arm 22 has a finger piece 25 by means of which the arm may be retracted to release Vthe end of the roll from bearing v21..

Preferably, member V12 has a concave surface 12b while guide 13 has an inclined surface 13a so formed that when a ro'll T is slightly tilted with a member 14 in an end thereof and against 'the tension of bearing 21 at its opposite end, the portion 19 of member 14 will be Vguided over the inclined surface 13a of member 13 onto lthe concave 'surface '12b of member 12 until member 14 .is

coaxial with member 12, whereupon the member 14 will` is sucient to permit ready application of member 14 to member 12. If member 14 had an external annular ange of the character shown in said prior patent, said flange would fail to adequately tilt the member and such a member could not be employed in connection with the type of mounting herein disclosed.

In this connection it must be noted that the diameter of bearing portion 19 of member/14 is slightly less than the space between legs 16, 16 of member 11, and that member 14 can readily slide downwardly between said legs over surface 12b of member 12 andkinto telescoping position on member 12, as shown in Fig. 4. Also the member 14 at the opposite (left) end of core T2 as viewed in Fig. 3, will telescope bearing 21 on bar 22 as theV roll T is thrust downwardly in the cabinet to operative position, bar 22 being sufficiently yieldabley toperrnit the mounting of thetwo trunnions 14 on the bearings 12 and 21, respectively. The trunnion 14 thus has its annular bearing portion or socket 19 telescopically seated upon the periphery of the circular bearing 12 and its exterior ,f

wall surface engaged upon the semi-circular bearing surface provided on the bearing member 11. Therefore, the socket 19 is supported about its entire periphery of the circular bearing member 12 and is also provided with auxiliary support upon the semi-circular bearing surface 15 of the bearing member 11.

Since the trunnions 14 are frequently manufactured from plastic-like material, or other material which may be cracked or broken, and since the wall of the socket 19 of the trunnion 14 may thus be ruptured, if only the semicircular bearing surface 15 were provided for the reception of the socket 19 and the support thereof, the ruptured wall of the socket 19 would wedge upon the bearing surface 15 and prevent the free movement or rotation of the trunnion 14. However, the provision of the circular bearing 12 provides support around the entire periphery of the socket 1K9 and if a portion of the wall of the socket 19 is ruptured, the remainder of the wall will still be supported on the bearing 12.

It is obvious that although bearing 12 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 as xed to wall 9 by means of a rivet 26 and the guide 13 is similarly secured to said wall by a rivet or bolt 13b, both of the members 12 and 13 may be' provided by die pressing said portions on wall 9 or on a plate aixed to said wall (not shown).v

The bearing 12a or Fig. 5 is also circular, but is hinged on a pin 27 borne by spaced ears28 bent from wall 9, so that when a roll T is inserted in the cabinet the member 12a is retracted to a position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to permit the movement of portion 19 of member 14 over the inner surface 12c until portion 19 is axially alined with member 12a, whereupon trunnion 14 will move into telescopic position over bearing 12a and said bearing will be so held by the tension of a spring 12d which has its extremities secured to a lug 9a of wall 9 and to the periphery of member 12a, respectively. Thus spring 12d normally urges the member 12a to retracted position preparatory to the reception of a trunnion 14,

while said trunnion holds the bearing alined therewith until the roll T or its core T2 is removed.

Hence, when a roll T is to be inserted, the core of a previous roll is rst removed by manual retraction of bar 22 and a new roll is thrust downwardly into the cabinet, with one or both of the end trunnions 14 held in the corresponding ends of core T2. The leftmost bearing 21 (Fig. 3) will yield, sufliciently to permit the two trunnions 14, 14 or one trunnion and an end of the core to slide downwardly into positions for telescopic engagement with both bearings, 12 and 21, or with bearings 12a and 21, as the case may be, in which latter case, bearing 12a will tilt appropriately on its axis 27, and the roll T will thus be rotatably supported for delivering successive selections T1 of paper through a slot 30 (Fig. 2) of the cabinet for use.

If desired a key operated lock L may be applied to linger piece 25 (as shown in Fig. 3), to prevent unauthorized retraction of bearing 21 and consequent release 'of roll T or core T2 from the cabinet and possible unauthorized substitution of another roll of paper. In such case a disc L1 which may be rotatably held on wall 24 and be provided with a lug L2 which, when the disc is rotated by a key K, will move lug L2 between linger piece 25 and wall 24 and thus prevent movement of bar 22 and bearing 21 until the disc is appropriated by key K.

Another advantage of the utilization of the circular or cylindrical bearings 12 and 12a in conjunction with the semi-circular bearing surface 15 on the bearing member 11 is that once a roll of material has been located by insertingthe socket 19 of the trunnion 14 over the cylindrical bearing 12 or 12a, it is extremely diicult for an unauthorized person to remove the roll of material. This is attributable to the fact that the lower portion of the wall of the socket 19 of the trunnion 14 engages in the space between the cylindrical bearing 12 or 12a and the semi-circular bearing surface 15 which serves to retain the trunnion against upward dislocation from said space.

In order to remove the roll it would be necessary to tilt it within the cabinet and the edge of the roll engages the wall of the cabinet to prevent such tilting. However, when the roll is practically consumed, it is possible to laterally displace the trunnion 14 engaged upon the cylindrical bearing 12 or 12a and to tilt the roll so that the trunnion 14 may be displaced from operative engagement with the cylindrical bearing 12 or 12a.

Another factor permitting easy insertion of the roll into operative relationship with the bearings, but preventing unauthorized removal of a full roll, results from the fact thatas the trunnion 14, and the socket 19 thereof, is guided downwardly in the bearing member 11, the side walls of the cabinet are displaced laterally to facilitate the engagement of the socket 19 of the trunnion 14 on the cylindrical bearing 12 or 12a. However, once the cylindrical bearing is engaged in the socket 19 with the roll of material covering the side wall, it is not possible to accomplish such displacement of the side wall and the trunnion 14 and its socket 19 are locked, to all intents and purposes, in the mounting constituted by the semi-circular bearing surface 15 and the cylindrical bearing 12 or 12a.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser having a cabinet arranged to support a continuous strip of material in a roll and means for dispensing sections of said strip in successive operations: a mounting for said roll including trunnions having cylindrical portions insertible in ends of the core on which said roll is wound, a yieldable support adjacent one wall of said cabinet adapted to telescopically engage one of said trunnions, a support attached to the opposite wall of said cabinet for telescopically receiving the said other trunnion, said trunnion support being tiltably mounted on a fixed axis transversely of the axis of said roll and formed with an external surface adapted to direct a trunnion when borne by a roll of material into position for telescopic engagement with said tiltable support as the support at the other end of the roll yields to accommodate insertion of a roll onto its mounting, and a semi-circular bearing secured to said opposite wall and additionally rotatably supporting said other trunnion when said other trunnion is engaged upon said tiltable support.

2. In a dispenser having a cabinet arranged to support a continuous strip of material in a roll and means for dispensing sections of said material in successive operations: a mounting for said roll including trunnions formed withcylindrical portions insertible in the ends of the core on which said roll is wound, a yieldable support adjacent one wall of said cabinet adapted to telescopically engage the adjacent trunnion and a support attached to the opposite wall of said cabinet for telescopically receiving a trunnion at the adjacent end of said roll, said trunnion support being tiltably mounted on a fixed axis transversely of the axis of said roll and formed with an external surface adapted to direct a trunnion when borne by a roll into position for telescopic engagement with said tiltable support as the trunnion support at the other end of the roll yields to accommodate insertion of a roll onto the mounting, said trunnions having cylindrical bearing portions outwardly of the ends of the roll, and a semi-circular bearing fixed to the cabinet and underlying the bearing portion of at least one of said trunnions.

3. In a dispenser having a cabinet arranged to support a continuous strip of material in a roll and means for dispensing sections of said material in successive operations: a mounting for said roll including trunnions formed with cylindrical portions insertible in the ends of the core on which said roll is wound, a yieldable support adjacent one wall of said cabinet adapted to telescopically engage the adjacent trunnion and a support attached to the opposite wall of said cabinet for telescopically receiving a trunnion at the adjacent end of said roll, said trunnion support being tiltably mounted on a iixed axis transversely of the axis of said roll and formed with an external surface adapted to direct a trunnion when borne by a roll of material into position for telescopic engagement with said tiltable support as the trunnion support at the other end of the roll yields to accommodate insertion of a roll onto its mounting, means for normally urging said tiltable support into trunnion receiving position and holding it in said position, and a semi-circular bearing secured to said opposite wall and encompassing said trunnion support for additionally rotatably supporting a trunnion engaged upon said trunnion support.

4. In a dispenser for issuing successive sections of material from a continuous roll having a core and a cabinet therefore: a mounting for rotatably supporting said roll and including a trunnion secured to one end of said core and formed with a socket outwardly of an end of said roll, and a cylindrical bearing adapted to telescopically receive and rotatably support the socket of said trunnion, and means for guiding said socket into position for telescopic engagement with said bearing when a roll is inserted in operative position in said cabinet.

5. In a dispenser having a mounting for a roll as characterized in claim 9: a semi-circular bearing xed to a wall of said cabinet and adapted to additionally rotatably support said socket, and a bearing at the opposite end of the roll yieldabie axially of the roll to permit insertion in and removal of the roll from operative position relative to said bearings,

6. in a dispenser for issuing successive sections of materials from a continuous roll having a core and a cabinet therefor: a mounting for rotatably supporting said roll and including a trunnion secured to one end of said t;

core and formed with a cylindrical extension outwardly of an end or` said roil, and a cylindrical bearing adapted to telescopically receive and rotatably support the cylindrical extension of said trunnion, and means for guiding said trunnion into position for telescopic engagement with said bearing when a roll is inserted in operative position in said cabinet, yieldable support for the other end of said roll, and means for locking said yieldable support against retraction, to prevent unauthorized removal of said roll.

7. A mounting for a tubular member comprising: a trunnion having a portion insertible in an end of said tubular member and a bearing engaging portion extended therefrom, a bearing coaxial with and adapted to telescopically receive the extended portion of said trunnion when the other end of said tubular member is rotatably supported, said bearing being tiltable toward and from normal trunnion position to permit reception of the tubular member from operative position, and a semicircular bearing engageable with said coaxial bearing for additionally supporting the extended portion of said trunnion when said extended portion is operatively mounted upon said coaxial bearing.

8. A mounting for a tubular member comprising: a

trunnion having a portion insertable in an end of said tubular member and a bearing engaging portion extended therefrom, and a bearing coaxial with and adapted to telescopically receive the extended portion of said trunnion when the other end of said tubular member is rotatably suported, said bearing being tiltable toward and from normal trunnion position to permit reception of the tubular member from operative position, means for constantly urging said bearing into position for telescopically receiving said tubular member, and .a semicircular bearing engageable with said coaxial bearing for additionally supporting the extended portion of said trunnion when said extended portion is operatively mounted upon said coaxial bearing.

9. ln a mounting for a roll of strip material, the cornbination of: a trunnion having a cylindrical socket at one end thereof; a semi-circular bearing; a cylindrical-bearing disposed within and spaced from said semi-circular bearing, said socket having its inner wall telescopically engageable upon said cylindrical bearing and having its outer wall supported on said semi-circular bearing; and a guide engageable by the end of said socket to locate said socket on said cylindrical bearing.

10. In a dispenser for a continuous strip of material having a cabinet arranged to support said continuous strip in a roll, the combination of: a mounting for said roll including a trunnion having a tirst portion insertible in an end of the core on which said roll is wound and a second tubular portion disposed externally of said end of said core; a yieldable support adjacent one wall of said cabinet adapted to telescopically engage the adjacent end of said roll; a support attached to the opposite wall of said cabinet for telescopically receiving said second portion; a semi-circular bearing fixed to said opposite wall and open at its upper end to receive said second portion of said trunnion as said roll is lowered into operative position in the cabinet; and a guide on the inside of said opposite wall above said trunnion support and aligned with said semi-circular bearing and so formed as to direct said trunnion when borne by said roll into position for telescopic engagement with said support when said roll is inserted in said cabinet.

11. in a dispenser for issuing sections of materiai from a continuous roll and having a cabinet for enclosing said rol, the combination of: a mounting for rotatably supporting said roll including a trunnion secured to one end of said roll and having an axially oriented cylindrical extension outwardly of an end of said roll; a stationary cylindrical bearing adapted to telescopically receive and rotatably support said cylindrical extension; a semi-circular bearing fixed to a wall of said cabinet for additionally rotatably supporting said cylindrical extension; and means for guiding said trunnion into position for telescopic engagement with said cylindrical bearing when said roll is inserted in operative position in said cabinet.

l2. in a dispenser for a continuous strip of material having a cabinet arranged to support said continuous strip in a roll, the combination of: a mounting for said roll including a trunnion having a rst portion insertible in an end of the core on which said roll is wound and a second tubular portion disposed externally of said end of said core; a cylindrical bearing secured to a wall of said cabinet and adapted to telescopically receive said tubular portion or" said trunnion; and a semi-circular bearing secured to said Wall and encompassing said cylindrical bearing and having a bearing surface for supporting the exterior surface of said tubular portion of said trunnion.

13. In a dispenser for a continuous strip of material having a cabinet arranged to support said continuous strip in a roll, the combination of: a mounting for said roll including a trunnion having a rst portion insertible in an end of the core on which said roll is wound and a second tubular portion disposed externally of said end of said core; a cylindrical bearing secured to a Wall of said cabinet and adapted to telescopically receive said tubular portion of said trunnion; and a semi-circular bearing secured to said wall and encompassing said cylindrical bearing and having a bearing surface for supporting the exterior surface of said tubular portion of said trunnion, the outer end of said cylindrical bearing terminating in the plane of the bearing surface of said semi-circular bearing.

' 14. In a dispenser for a continuous strip of material having a cabinet arranged to support said continuous strip in a roll, the combination of: a mounting for said roll including a trunnion having a first portion insertible in an end of the core on which said roll is wound and a second tubular portion disposed externally of said end of said core; a cylindrical bearing secured to a wall of said cabinet and adapted to telescopically receive said tubular portion of said trunnion; and a semi-circular bearing secured to said Wall, said bearing encompassing said cylindrical bearing and having a bearing surface for supporting the exterior surface of said tubular portion of said trunnion, the periphery of said cylindrical bearing being spaced from said bearing surface a distance substantially equal to the wall thickness of said tubular portion to permit said tubular portion to be inserted between and rotate upon said cylindrical bearing and said bear- 0 ing surface.

15. In a dispenser for a continuous strip of material having a cabinet arranged to support said continuous strip in a roll, the combination of: a mounting for said roll including a trunnion having a first portion insertible in an end of the core on which said roll is wound and a second tubular portion disposed externally of said end of said core; a cylindrical bearing secured to a wall of said cabinet and adapted to telescopically receive said tubular portion of said trunnion; a semi-circular bearing secured to said wall, said bearing encompassing said cylindrical bearing and having a bearing surface for supporting the exterior surface of said tubular portion of said trunnion, the periphery of said cylindrical bearing being spaced from said bearing surface a distance substantially equal to the wall thickness of said tubular portion to permit said tubular portion toy be inserted between and rotate upon saidv cylindrical bearing and said bearing surface; and a guide at the upper end of said semi-circular bearing engageable with the end of said tubular portion for guiding said end into alignment with said cylindrical bearing and said bearing surface.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 605,996 Carter June 2l, 1898 1,761,464 Caps June 3, 1930 1,782,973 Persons Nov. 25, 1930 1,815,785 Leimberger July 2l, 1931 2,105,928 Perrin Jan. 18, 1938 2,308,840 Vaughan et al. Jan. 19, 1943 2,533,841 Russell Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,303 Great Britain Oct. 12, 1909 

